Most of you know that Sign2Music have won a number of Awards, some voted for by parents and others selected by experts. We are very proud of these Awards as they reflect the emphasis we place on providing a quality service.
I have been
thinking recently about how little most people know about how much is involved
in preparing for our sessions. Of course we do not simply throw props in a bag
and 'wing it'! No, of course we are always well prepared, so we can ensure our
sessions are as good as they could possibly be!
In the early days of setting up Sign2Music sleep
was an unknown phenomenon to me. I was so committed to developing quality
programmes and, being such a perfectionist, spent every available hour
researching and preparing. I still work long hours and commit 110% to
everything I do.
I spent most of
tonight (about 5 hours) getting ready for a 45 min class in a nursery tomorrow.
I am covering a topic I haven't done before, so even before tonight I have been
researching the topic, writing new songs and speaking to the amazing friends I
have who share their ideas with me. Setting up a new playlist and searching for
backing tracks alone took up a number of hours. I then had to print out and
laminate the resources I need for the topic. Then I had to pack my back with
all the props needed and pack the car.
It is not unusual
for me to spend this time preparing for a session. Even though I have got my
preparation time reduced significantly, the night before my classes is still reserved
for getting ready for my classes, checking song lists, packing the bag,
preparing snacks and refreshments, etc. I have that many bags that even packing
the car takes a while! When it comes to nursery training, teacher training or
presentations at conferences, preparation time can be much much longer.
You may wonder if I
spend too much time preparing because I am rubbish at what I do or wonder at my
business sense. However, the reason I, and the other Sign2Music teachers, spend
so much time ensuring we are well prepared is because the end result actually
matters to us!
Sign2Music has a
strong value base. We have a set of core values. One of our key values is Quality. Our
values state:
" We are committed to
delivering quality programmes that we can be proud of. We genuinely care about
the views of service users think and will endeavour to gain their views about
our services. We carefully select our teachers to ensure that only those with appropriate
skills, experience and values join us."
So if you are wondering why Sign2Music differs from
a lot of other children's programmes and why our programmes are value for
money, this is why. We really care about what you think. We really want our programmes
to make a difference and we really want our teachers to be the best!
Quality really does matter in Sign2Music!
